F E A R
by Avataria
Summary: He would go to great lengths to secure her silence. Blackmail, threats and harassment only part of his agenda. Yet another force lurks dangerously around the corner, something neither one is prepared for. SetoxTéaxYugi


**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, only the OC's and this goes for all the chapters. **

**Genre**: Suspense/Drama/Romance

This is my first attempt at one of my favourite and well-known triangles. I don't see a lot of these around, so I decided to write one. This is shorter than what I usually write, but I figured it was something I could manage while I'm at university.

**This is dedicated to **Mrs Bluesummers** who will no longer be writing Yu-gi-oh fanfiction, although she has one last story coming out. **

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Chapter One – Darkness Falls

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He watched her as a predator would watch his prey, the darkness easily concealing him from view. In spite of the cloak of black which shrouded the room, he could see her slender figure, as she fumbled for what he surmised was the light switch. Sure enough, the bulbs which produced the man-made miracle sprung to life from the ceiling, bathing the immediate area in a distinct shower of yellow. Confident in her ability to see, she shifted purposely towards the door, fingers positioning the safety chain into place. He smirked at her belief that a simplistic device could offer her protection, when she was unaware of the real danger that lurked within her place of residence.

She moved fluidly, hips swaying under the knee-length blue skirt that clung to her like a second skin. Dark splotches littered the surface of her clothing, suggesting that the skies were still rampant with rain. Chumps of dark hair hung limply from her skull, each strand damp to the root, indicating she had been caught in the majority of the downpour. A loud clap of thunder distracted him momentarily, head whipping to the left, as a flash of blue blazed across the window, followed by several roars which occurred in succession. Turning his gaze back to his prey, he licked his lips in anticipation, watching as a frown spread across her feminine features at the realisation that the weather had become intolerable. The conditions of which provided him with the ideal atmosphere for the 'discussion,' he planned on having with her. After depositing her bag on the sofa, she walked towards the coffee table, sifting through the mail that occupied her hands. With her attention momentarily diverted, he left his hiding place in the hallway and crept forward, footsteps barely grinding into the carpet.

From the corner of her eye, a dark shadow reflected off the carpet surface, eyebrows crinkling in curiosity and confusion. She whirled around, azures locking with the true origin of the mysterious shape. The rectangular pieces of paper which lay within the protective confines of her hands fell to the ground in a scattered heap, demonstrating the effect that his uninvited presence had on her state of mind.

"Kaiba!" Téa Gardner exclaimed; cervices of blue widening due to surprise and alarm, face draining of all colour.

He said nothing and took a step forward, each move in her direction cold and calculated. Sapphires shimmered ominously, their inner depths clouded over with profound purpose, as they bore unwaveringly into hers.

Instinctively, she stepped backwards, blue locked hypnotically with blue, unable to physically detach her gaze, nor her mind from the person who had somehow broken into her apartment. Thoughts of the defensive nature surged through her mind, similar to the flipping of television channels, desperately seeking the correct one. Focusing on the one that made the most sense, she blinked to break the trance he had created, cerulean gems briefly shifting behind her.

As if predicting her train of thought, he motioned to the right, mouth producing one of his trademark smirks as a sort of challenge, the sight of which sent tremors down her spine.

Biting her lip in consideration, she determined that escaping was the only option available to her. In a blink of an eye, she turned, propelling herself forward, shoes digging into the carpet as she sprinted for the door. She believed she had the upper hand, but underestimated his potential as a skilled athlete, his reflexes beyond exceptional. Barely flying a few steps in the air, an elongated arm snaked around her waist, in an effort to restrain her. She quickly retaliated by digging her left elbow into the soft flesh of his left side. A rugged breath withdrew from his lips, following by the muttering of some incoherent phrase which she couldn't make out. During the tussle, she stumbled; palms scraping the ground as she quickly pushed herself back onto her feet.

The silver coloured chain projected an image of salvation, aware that freedom was almost in her grasp. All that was required was its physical release and the flicking of the locking mechanism to open the door. Frantically, she reached for the chain, the tips of her fingers just touching the cool surface, before her hand clenched empty space.

"No, you don't," Kaiba growled, his right hand sliding around her small waist in one quick and accurate motion.

Téa tried unsuccessfully to pull away, yet his strength far exceeded her own. Manoeuvring her body, she attempted to elbow him in the side as she did previously, but his cunning intellect anticipated the move. He forcefully seized her lower arm, yanking the appendage to her side. Realising that the move was ineffective, she inhaled deeply, preparing to saturate the room with an audible screech. Expecting this reaction, he released her arm, fingers slapping across her mouth to prevent the sound from materialising. "Nice try."

Muffled noises and incessant struggling accompanied the move, as he adjusted his own grip and position to suppress her resistance. Pressing the right side of his face against her left cheek, he warned gruffly, "If you scream Gardner, I'll hurt you . . . severely." That remark produced the desired effect, her body becoming still, the air around them coated in an intense wave of silence.

She trembled in his arms, the erratic pulsing of her heart ringing like a siren in her ears. Gasping in panic with all nerves on edge, she felt her body being dragged backwards, head swivelling to the side in an effort to determine where he was taking her. Pools of cerulean dust reflected white, as he roughly positioned her against the wall, pinning her with his own body. He had since released his hold over her mouth, his words echoing deeply in her mind. A sadistic gleam secreted from his icy gaze, lips twitched into a dark smirk.

Russet locks which were still moist from the rain caressed her cheeks, thus concealing the full view of her face. He brushed the troublesome strands aside, so he could fully appreciate the fear and panic that were now frozen in place. "That's better," he whispered with fabricated sweetness, the tone of his voice teeming with mock sincerity.

Téa tilted her head back, blue mirroring blue, "What do you think you're doing?" Though the words sounded calm and collected, the manner in which she spoke appeared stressed.

"We need to talk," he replied bluntly, pools of blue swimming with ruthlessness.

She swallowed to clear the lump in her throat, "What . . . about?" Despite the question which was framed in innocence and speculation, the truth behind his actions immediately swarmed her thoughts. _'Please, don't let this be what I think it is.' _She was positive that he hadn't seen her._ 'Oh god . . . how did he find out?' _

"Don't act all innocent with me! You know exactly what this is about," Kaiba threw out harshly, sapphires glistening with unresolved frustration, challenging her to disagree with him.

"I'm telling you Kaiba, I honestly don't know," she worked her voice to sound convincing, although it came out more like a shriek. Her vocal cords clamped down hard, trying to sooth the uneasiness that exploded in the pit of her stomach.

Sapphires narrowed consequently, an indication that he doubted her explanation. He grabbed her chin brutally, forcing her to look up at him, rewarded instantly when she returned his gaze almost pleadingly, pools of ocean-blue terrified to the core. "Don't make me do this the hard way," he snarled viciously, face contorted into a mask of pure malice.

She sucked in a sharp breath, the air feeling like a violation in her lungs as a burning sensation ripped through her chest. Rolling her head to the side, she coughed, attempting to clear her chest cavity, as well as smother the sobs that were beginning to form in the base of her throat. Images of the afternoon flickered within her mind, memory banks recalling in explicit detail, the true reason for this dangerous confrontation. There was no doubt in her mind from the glare he was showering her with, what he intended to do to her, if she refused to comply and continued to deny his claims.

"Well?" he asked impatiently, surprised and infuriated by the silence that continued to permeate the air. "Don't tell me you're lost for words? You usually have something 'enlightening' to say in my presence."

She bit down hard on her lower lip, careful not to draw blood. Wet moisture started to collect in the corners of her eyes, but she held her resolve, mentally telling herself to remain calm.

The silence still hadn't receded, despite his persuasive attempts to encourage her to speak. He was quickly losing whatever patience he had mustered, growing anger working its way into his features. He had hoped that his intimidating nature and actions would wrench the truth that was lodged somewhere within her mind, but she was proving to be difficult. Of course, he already anticipated in advance that she would not be cooperative, past experiences evidence of that little fact. His intelligence being the most lucrative asset he possessed thought of another way to approach the situation, one he was certain would force her to admit the truth. His mouth twisted into a devilish grin, sapphires locking possessively with pools of cerulean, one intention reflected in their depths. He lowered his gaze on purpose, though he could clearly see that her expression was laced with suspicion and worry. Holding her chin firmly, he dipped his head towards the soft delicate curve of her neck, nostrils inhaling the faint odour of perfume that saturated her skin. It was a pleasant smell, unlike the cheap and often potent fragrance that many of his female employees wore, a combination of lavender and strawberries. Like a hungry animal, his lips pulled back revealing shiny white teeth, which without warning bit the sensitive flesh dangerously. He felt her cringe at his touch, the muscles within her skin stretching involuntarily as she arched her neck, desperate to escape the act of cruelty that had been thrust upon her.

She held her breath as his teeth nipped roughly towards her pulse point, his chestnut threads tickling the tip of her chin. _'What does he think he's doing?' _Positioning her hands at his chest, she valiantly tried to push him away. "Kaiba, stop it!" she implored, relief colouring her features, when his face reappeared seconds later, lips still moist from his own brand of torment. Another smirk highlighted his lips, the sight of which filled her with dread when she realised he was far from finished. It came as no surprise when the hand that held her forcibly by the waist, brought her closer to the warmth of his own body, fingers sneaking deliberately under the shirt she wore. She tried to jerk away, but succeeded in smacking her head on the wall, resulting in a sharp thud. Intricate white stars spun in succession, her mind in a temporary state of inactivity, eyes screwing shut in pain. She groaned aloud, eyes blinking excessively to clear the fog clouding her mind. When the pain began to slowly dissipate, she looked up at him, flinching when the hand that held her chin moved behind her, cradling her aching skull in the palm of his hand.

"You should be more careful. I don't want you becoming unconscious just yet." His voice was a mixture of false compassion and cruelty, teeth bared sadistically in her direction. His fingers which were firmly embedded within her silky locks immediately tightened, jerking her head backwards. She cried out as pain washed over her, teeth clamping together uncomfortably in her mouth. He lowered his face closer to hers, face cold and emotionless as he tugged her hair one more time, the cries that followed music to his ears.

"Kaiba, please . . ." she pleaded, the words an attempt to discourage his insatiable appetite for inflicting pain and suffering.

Ignoring her whimpers, he spoke darkly, "You shouldn't have been there Gardner."

"Can we talk about this . . . like rational human beings?" she offered reasonably, breaths coming out in shattered gasps.

He replied matter-of-factly, "We 'are' talking."

"No," she replied cautiously. "I mean . . . can we please sit down and talk."

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" he barked, anger colouring his tone of voice. "I said we 'are' talking."

"Kaiba, you're scaring me," she said softly.

"Am I now? I didn't think you scared easily Gardner," his voice dripping with obvious amusement.

It was true that it took more than a few threatening words and actions to scare her senseless, but after today she had more than one reason to be afraid of him. "I guess there's a first time for everything" she stated, voice saturated in fear and expectation.

"I can assure you this isn't scared. But I can show you scared," he said coldly, releasing his grip on her hair, not caring if her head hit the wall again. This time he tugged one of her arms behind her back and twisted it backward, till her mouth reciprocated another distinct wail. "Are you scared now, Gardner?"

She willed herself to remain strong, refusing to let her fear take control.

Her silence and determination prompted him to further rotate her arm backwards, her mouth warranting another painful whimper. He could feel the muscles within her arm fighting against him. "Don't fight it. It'll only hurt worse," he advised unsympathetically.

"Sadistic bastard," she muttered through clenched teeth. She regretted that slip of the tongue, when he glared down at her vehemently, applying more pressure to her sore limb as punishment. The tears she had been holding back slipped free from her lashes, trailing unnoticed down her pale cheeks. The area where his fingers were currently residing throbbed painfully, leaving her to conclude that there would be a sizable discolouration once this was over.

"This is nothing compared to the other things I could do to you. So watch your language," he gritted out, teeth clamping down as he tried to resist the urge to silence her permanently. "Now, are you going to tell me what you know, or am I going to have to employ other measures to get you to confess?"

Her heart thudded painfully in her chest, as she realised the magnitude of the situation she was now embroiled in. _'Why is this happening to me?' _She had been minding her own business, walking to work like she always did on a Friday afternoon. Except today had been different compared to the other days; today was a day she would never forget. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time and now she was paying for it. The memory was still fresh in her mind, every sound, movement and word permanently itched into the intangible entity. Working had been difficult, for the images continued to plague her, a recurring episode that played over and over again like a terrifying nightmare. Perhaps what haunted her was that she never believed he could be capable of such a despicable act, even if he had a reputation as a powerful and cold-hearted businessman that the city of Domino feared and admired concurrently. Throughout the day she argued with herself over what she should do. There were many consequences to consider and she was no closer to finding the answer to her impending dilemma. She had no idea what she was going to do - that was until now.

Another painful squeeze broke her train of thought, eyes blinking before connecting with his stone cold glare. She couldn't take much more of this, her brain cells working furiously to concoct another plan of escape. Rising her left knee, she intended to use the curved bone as a weapon that would connect with his groin, crippling him long enough for her to get out of the apartment. However, Kaiba swiftly caught on to her plan, by pulling back all of sudden, face clearly infuriated with such a bold move, "You shouldn't have tried that, Gardner." Grabbing both her shoulders, he slammed her hard, pressing his entire weight against her.

She writhed beneath him, unable to free her arms from the amount of weight crushing her. Finding it difficult to breathe, she turned her head to the side, greedily gulping as much oxygen as her lungs would allow.

"Tell me what I want to know and this ends," Kaiba declared, masking the words as a promise he intended to fulfil.

Choice was a privilege she didn't have and no amount of denial and persuasion would change that. Icy pools of blue nothingness gleamed with expectation, as she contemplated his words and her fate. She didn't trust him, but what choice did she have. Lowering her eyes away from his penetrating gaze, she spoke quietly, "I was there. I saw everything."

Somewhat satisfied with her admission, he softened his grip on her shoulders. "That wasn't hard. If you had told the truth earlier, we could have avoided all of this," he patronised, when in truth the same method of interrogation would have been used regardless.

She refused to return his gaze, wanting to avoid his condescending attitude, "It's not my fault Kaiba. I didn't want to be there."

"Maybe so, but the truth of matter is that you were there and the past can't be erased. Which leads me to the question of what I'm going to do with you?" he announced deviously. "I can't have you shooting your mouth off."

Téa looked up at him, cerulean depths paralysed with fear, "I won't say anything."

He snorted, narrowing his eyes indicatively, "I know you, Gardner. I know exactly what you're capable of if given the chance. If it's one thing about you that irritates me, besides your moral values, it's your constant habit of speaking your mind."

"What . . . are you . . . saying?" she stammered, eyes glowing wide with terror.

"You tell anyone what you saw and I will do things to you that you could only imagine in your worst nightmares," he threatened, sapphires sparkling with intensity. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from gasping, a swirl of emotions flashing across her expressive face. He further elaborated his intentions, voice reduced to a dangerous hiss, "I will make it my personal mission to ruin your life and you know I have the power and the means to do it."

"You . . . wouldn't," she stuttered, a shiver running down her spine, thoughts firmly transfixed on what he was proposing.

"The things I could do to you," he taunted, eyes glowing evilly, causing her to shudder involuntarily. "At least before I kill you and then dump your remains in the Domino City reservoir. I'll make sure that no one will ever find you."

Her breath hitched in her throat, as she absorbed the finality of his words, "You can't do that."

"Do you really want to find out?" he asked, daring her to contradict him.

She contemplated every word, understanding immediately that he was dead serious. She physically shook her head to strengthen her position.

"Answer me," he demanded, wanting to vocally hear the words from her mouth.

"No . . . I don't want that," she confirmed, lower lip trembling as a direct result.

"Smart girl."

She felt the need to further reassure him, the action a persuasive manoeuvre on her part, "You have nothing to worry about, your secret's safe."

"It had better be Gardner, for your sake," he whispered chillingly in her ear. His lips lingered there, allowing her to feel his warm breath.

Hoping that this was the end of their 'discussion,' she gathered the courage to convince him to leave, having already given her solemn promise to never reveal what she knew. "If you're done, can you please leave now?" she asked tentatively, willing her voice to sound polite rather than desperate.

"I could . . ." he drifted off intentionally, face scrunched up in consideration. "But we haven't finished yet."

She looked like she had a reply, but the look in his eyes quickly erased it from her mind.

"I hear that you and the runt are dating now," he said causally, his voice hiding an ulterior motive.

"What business is it of yours?" she croaked distrustfully, confused as to why he would be interested in her personal life.

"That wasn't the answer I was looking for," he lowered his mouth to her neck, sinking his teeth into her flesh.

Téa groaned, not out of pleasure but pure revulsion, "Yes, we are."

"How long?" he murmured against her neck.

"Since the start of the semester."

Kaiba raised his head, peering directly into her face, "I always knew he had a thing for you. I'm surprised you actually said yes."

"Why wouldn't I?" she mumbled distractedly, a part of her becoming suspicious by his line of questioning and his verbal responses.

He scoffed, "Yugi isn't exactly the type of guy most girls go for."

A cloud of anger built up inside of her, wondering what gave him the right to criticise her choice of boyfriends. "What? Because he's not rich, not a heartless bas -" the last part of the sentence caught in her voice box, when both his hands aggressively wrapped around her throat, fingers interlocking into a death grip. The pads of his thumbs dig mercilessly into her chin, tilting her face upwards.

His smile faltered, eyes regaining their cold piercing glare, "You saw first hand what a dangerous man I am, so don't piss me off."

Her vocal cords tightened, as she stifled the bitter comment that threatened to spill from her lips. "Well, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my relationship with Yugi out of this," she managed calmly, so that it didn't sound like a demand.

"You're not in a position to be demanding anything," he retorted, making sure she realised who was in control.

It was then that she understood the real motive behind his questions. He posed a definite threat not only to her, but to those she cared about. That assumption buried itself firmly in her mind, realising that she would do everything she could to ensure that the others weren't dragged into this mess. "I'm not. All I'm saying is that this doesn't involve Yugi . . . or the others," she spoke quickly, positive that his next words would implicate them.

He grunted, privately admitting that she was smarter than he gave her credit for. Her relationship with her family, friends, and Yugi provided him with leverage and he had no problem with the idea of using them to tame her into submission. "This is between you and me. But if you tell anyone what you saw, it isn't just you I'll go after - everyone you care about will also be a target. Do you understand me?"

She nodded vigorously, "Yes."

His right thumb swept across her lower lip, parting the tender folds to gain access to her mouth, "I'll be seeing you around campus, Gardner." She breathed in a sign of relief, believing that this was over, but that quickly transformed into shock, when he suddenly pressed his lips against hers. She tried to pull back, head hitting the wall sharply, but the motion did little to dissuade him. Instead, the fingers gripping her throat held her more securely, as he forced his way into her mouth, his tongue hungrily caressing her own. She attempted to push at his chest, yet his weight kept her firmly pinned, making it virtually impossible. He eventually broke the kiss, allowing their foreheads to touch almost intimately, their breaths evenly matched.

He smirked down at her, enjoying in a sadistic manner, the effect his presence was having on her body, mind and soul. She was afraid of him. That much he was certain of. After all, he had given her plenty of reasons to fear him, including the fate that would befall both her and the ones she cared about, if she dared angered him. Yet this was far from over. He would continue to drive that fear into her heart, making sure that she never divulged his secret. Dropping his hands to his sides, he stepped away from her, rotating his body in the direction of the door. As if on impulse, he lingered for a moment, mouth curving into a sly grin, as his eyes searched for hers. She returned his gaze reluctantly, anxiety plastered across her features. "I'd think about getting a security system installed in this crap hole. Never know who's lurking out there waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting college girl," he chuckled, purposely emphasising each word.

A look of uncertainty crossed her cerulean orbs, mind obviously considering the idea. He didn't bother explaining his rationale or waiting for a response - the sole purpose of his words was to simply unnerve her. No amount of security would stop him from getting to her, but he wanted to see how far she would go to protect herself. Turning on his heel, he crossed the space towards the door, letting himself out. His powerful form paused in the doorway, face angled in her direction, where he smirked at her, left eye winking. The door closed and she wasted no time in racing towards it, fingers hurriedly fastening the chain, ensuring that the door was appropriately locked.

She slumped to the ground in a dishevelled heap, back resting against the door, knees bunched together in front of her chest. Perspiration dripped from her brow, pulse racing like a runaway freight train, while her hands which rested on her knees began shaking unsteadily. She licked her bruised lips, the taste of him still present on the supple moulds of flesh. What on earth possessed him to kiss her like that? She decided that she didn't want to think about it, but what made it worse was that she felt as if she betrayed Yugi. A wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm her, as she breathed in and out, determined to regain control over her fragile nerves. The flesh of her arms and neck burned uncontrollably, eyes shifting over to the sleeves of both arms. Gingerly, she rolled up the fabric of her right arm, fingers sliding expertly, till a distinct ache emitted from several affected areas. Gazing downwards, she inspected each one, noticing how the deep purple shadows were a striking contrast to the surrounding creamy white. She would have to choose her clothing carefully in the next week, clothing that would easily conceal the marks that were otherwise visible to the naked eye. Moaning in despair, her thoughts turned to the impressions he had left on her neck. Already, she could feel the muscles specific to the area beginning to stiffen and she assumed there were more colourful remainders of the situation implanted in her skin. Shifting with great effort to her feet, she slowly walked towards the bathroom eager to take a long hot shower, as well as apply some medical relief to her wounds.

It was at that precise moment that she made a fateful realisation.

**This was only the beginning - with no end in sight. **

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So what do you think? What is it that Kaiba's done and why is he desperate to keep Téa's mouth shut? Reviews are greatly appreciated and constructive criticism is encouraged.

Also, those of you who have Seto/Téa(Anzu) stories, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to put them up (via a hyperlink) on my Seto/Téa(Anzu) msn group called 'Between fire and ice,' which is still in development. Those of you, who are interested, tell me in a review or send me an e-mail, whichever you prefer.

After next week, my updates will be less frequent, because I'm starting university again, but I'll be writing in-between studying. The next update will be the second chapter of 'The flames of temptation,' which I'm hoping will be finished by the end of next week.


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